UN Sets First Week of February as “World Interfaith Harmony Week”

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 21 (KUNA) — The UN General Assembly late Wednesday adopted a consensus resolution, proposed by Jordan, proclaiming the first week of February of every year “World Interfaith Harmony Week” among all faiths and beliefs.

Introduced by Prince Ghazi Bin Mohammad, the Personal Envoy and Special Advisor to the King of Jordan, the resolution recognized the urgent need for dialogue among different faiths and religions in enhancing mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among peoples. The Prince said the Assembly was well aware the world was rife with religious tension, mistrust, and hatred, which facilitated war and violence. The remedy for such problems could only come from the world’s religions themselves, and although much good work had already been done towards that end, religious tensions were on the rise. The resolution, he explained, would seek to turn the tide against that negative movement by coordinating and uniting efforts among all interfaith groups doing positive work through one focused annual theme. At the same time, it would harness the collective might of places of worship for peace and harmony and regularly encourage the “silent majority” of preachers to commit themselves on the record for peace and harmony.

He said the proposal was purely voluntary and no place of worship should be forced to observe “World Interfaith Harmony Week”. The resolution, he added, also “excludes no individual, compromises no one, commits no one, forces no one, harms no one, costs nothing, and – on the contrary – includes everyone, celebrates everyone, benefits everyone, unites everyone and has the potential to bring much needed peace and harmony to the entire world, InshaAllah.” (end) sj.mt KUNA 210912 Oct 10NNNN